Do you smell like smoke?
15 For we are to God the sweet aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.
2 Corinthians 2:15Bible Reading
Daniel 3:26-27
26 Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the door of the blazing fiery furnace and called out, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out!” So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire, 27 and when the satraps, prefects, governors, and royal advisers had gathered around, they saw that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men. Not a hair of their heads was singed, their robes were unaffected, and there was no smell of fire on them.
You survived finals week. You survived the thesis defense. You survived the difficult roommate. But how do you smell? It is possible to survive a fire and still smell like smoke. In the spiritual sense, the smell of smoke is the lingering odor of bitterness, anxiety, cynicism, and exhaustion. It is the attitude that says, "I made it, but I hated every minute of it." It is the student who graduates but remains angry at the school. It is the student who gets the A but loses joy. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the furnace, and the Bible records a stunning detail: the smell of fire had not passed upon them. They did not smell like victims. They did not smell like trauma. They carried the fragrance of victory. They carried the presence of the Fourth Man. This is God's will for you. He does not just want you to pass the class. He wants you to surpass the stress. He wants you to emerge from difficult academic challenges with a sweet spirit, a kind heart, and a fresh mind. How? By spending so much time with the Fourth Man, Jesus, in the fire that His fragrance overpowers the smell of smoke. If you focus on the problem, you will smell like the problem. If you focus on Jesus, you will carry the aroma of Christ. Check your scent today. If you smell like smoke—complaining, fear, or anger—go back to the secret place of prayer. Let the Holy Spirit wash you. Come out fresh. The world is drawn to the aroma of Christ, not the stench of stress.
Action Point
Ask a close friend today, "Honestly, have I been complaining lately? Do I seem bitter?" If the answer is yes, take time to repent. Then replace every complaint with praise.
Prayer Point
Lord, wash me. Remove the residue of past stress. I want to carry the aroma of Your grace, not the odor of my struggles. Let people sense joy when I walk into the room.
Reflection Point
Does my attitude reflect the victory of the resurrection or the pain of the fire?